Usage of child and/or infant seats in vehicles has become commonplace and in some situations legally required. Many child seats are removably secured to the vehicle by securing a base portion to the vehicle by passing a seat belt or anchor tether through an opening or openings in the base portion, wherein the child seat or infant seat further comprises a removable carrier portion configured to “snap in” or lockingly engage the base portion.
As discussed in the above-identified related patent applications an electronic control unit is configured to provide indications of conditions relating to the child seat (e.g., base portion and carrier portion), its occupant and/or its installation. In these applications the child seat will comprise an electronic control unit secured to either the base portion or the carrier portion of the child seat. In addition, the electronic control unit will also be operably coupled to a plurality of sensors each providing additional signals indicative of states of the child seat to the electronic control unit and the electronic control unit is capable of processing the additional signals to compare the additional signals to acceptable values, wherein the electronic control unit provides additional outputs indicating whether the additional signals are at acceptable values and the additional outputs are provided to a display. Examples of such parameters being monitored by the sensors include but are not limited to: monitoring infant seat harness latch state; monitoring infant seat harness tension; perform infant seat weight classification; monitoring infant seat-to-base interlock state; monitoring infant seat angle and seat orientation; monitoring infant seat for exposure to severe impact or vehicle crash; monitoring rear facing infant seat base for contact with vehicle seatbelt; monitoring rear facing infant seat base for tension of vehicle seatbelt or lower tether; monitoring chest retainer clip for proper engagement; monitoring chest retainer clip for proper vertical height on the harness; monitoring shoulder harness slots for proper adjustment wherein audible and/or visual indications or warnings are provided to alert an individual if there is non-compliance with any of the monitored states.
In each instance, the sensors are electrically coupled to the electronic control module wherein the electronic control module provides an electrical signal indicative of the property being sensed. However, and since the sensor may be located in both the carrier portion and the base portion and the electronic control unit may be disposed on either the carrier portion or the base portion there exists a need to provide a means for electrically connecting the components of base portion to the carrier portion. Moreover, and since the intended use is for a child seat the electrical connector needs to be able to withstand exposure to debris, liquids etc. as well as be configured to withstand repeated contact as the carrier portion is constantly inserted and removed from the base portion.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an electrical connector that will complete electrical connections for a child safety restraint system when a carrier portion of the child seat is secured to a base portion of the child seat.